[Avodah] How the Torah defines species [was: Yeast isn't chameitz]

[T613K at aol.com]

From: Michael Makovi _mikewinddale at gmail.com_ 
(mailto:mikewinddale at gmail.com) 

>>(Now,  to be honest, the mishna in Kilayim says breeding dogs and
wolves together is  kilayim, but this is of course strange, given that
the two are clearly the  same type of animal. Perhaps halakha isn't
scientific here; perhaps oats are  halakhically a type of wheat/barley,
even though biologically they are not,  and conversely, perhaps dogs
are not a type of wolf, even though biologically  they most certainly
are. Tzarich iyun.)<<


Michael  Makovi


 
 
>>>>>
R' Natan Slifkin has a terrific chapter about this very subject -- how  the 
halacha defines "species" -- in his wonderful book, *The Camel, the Hare 
and  the Hyrax."  I've read the book twice, with great pleasure.
 
 
I can't do it justice -- he covers the subject at great length, and from  
various angles -- but one of the things he says is that wild and domestic  
varieties of similar animals (even if they can interbreed) are different 
species  in halacha, and, apparently, subject to halachic strictures against 
deliberately  interbreeding these species.  In the normal course of events they 
seldom  come into contact with each other and seldom do interbreed.  Of 
course  animals do not have to obey halacha so if Doggie Capulet and Wolfie 
Montague  /should/ happen to meet and mate, they are not sinning.
 
Halachic definitions of "species" for the issur of kilayim and for other  
purposes do not coincide with "scientific" categories and are not meant  to.  
The ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring is only one  factor 
and as you can see with dogs and wolves, is not the only criterion in  
halacha.



--Toby  Katz
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